Astros to Retire Bagwell's Number on Sunday

Jeff Bagwell ‘89, the University of Hartford's most
prominent baseball alumnus, will have his number retired by the
Houston Astros in a ceremony on Sunday (Aug. 26).

The Astros will retire Bagwell's No. 5 before Sunday's game against
the Pittsburgh Pirates at Houston's Minute Maid Park. Bagwell will
become the eighth Houston player to have his number retired.

The 38-year-old first baseman finished his career as the Houston
franchise's all-time leader in home runs, runs batted in and walks.
A four-time All-Star, Bagwell played in 15 Major League seasons
from 1991-2005, winning the National League Most Valuable Player
award in 1994 and the National League Rookie of the Year award in
1991. He is one of only nine players in National League history to
win both the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in a career.

At the University of Hartford, Bagwell played third base for the
Hawks from 1987 to 1989. Bagwell left as the program's all-time
leader in runs batted in (126), home runs (31) and is still the
best hitter in school history with a .413 batting average. At the
time his batting average was a New England collegiate record.

Bagwell's rise to Major League stardom was swift. Drafted in the
fourth round by the Boston Red Sox in 1989, he played two seasons
in the Red Sox system before being traded to the Houston Astros at
the end of the 1990 season. The very next season he earned a
starting job at first base with the Astros and went on to win the
National League's Rookie of the Year award.